Monday, November 9, 2009

According to Spanish news agency eFe the first report from Visitators may already be in Vatican Authorities' hands. The articleunfortunately, may be short on verified data but does contain a number of specifics on how the Visitation is affecting Legion members, an unusual peep behind the scenes of this airtight organization.

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The visitors appointed by the Vatican to conduct an investigation of the institutions and centers of the Legionaries of Christ (LC) and the Regnum Christi (RC) were summoned to Rome in late October, where Benedict XVI was presented a first report on the results of their investigation.

Vatican Visitation of Legion/Regnum Chrisit almost complete

According to information provided to Efe by Legionary priests who are still within the religious congregation, but who disagree with the attitude of "secrecy" of their superiors, the apostolic visit is almost complete.

However, the visitors continue to work as some schools are lacking a visit, as in the case of Spain, and because there are still many people, especially the RC laity and consecrated persons, who have requested to be received by the visitors and give their testimony.

Through sources close to one of the visitors, Efe has been able to confirm the meeting: "we were called to Rome with urgency," said one, adding that the accusations of pedophilia against LC founder, Marcial Maciel, have virtually not been investigated.

The reason is that the Holy See has had already for years an important dossier about it, which led to the conviction of Maciel in 2005, and are only now receiving testimony from affected victims or who have requested to meet with some of the visitors.

The Pope, according to these same sources, "is now very clear about the situation of the Legion of Christ and the accusations against the founder. What we are deepening our investigation of, at the request of the Holy See, is the compliance with the suppression of the fourth vote of charity - never to speak ill of or denounce the superiors, as ordered by Rome. "

Also being investigated with emphasis are: "if the Legion's constitutions correspond to those adopted at the time by the Holy See, on the financial issue and ownership of properties and facilities and, by express mandate of the Pope, the possible 'coercion and control' of conscience in the consecrated members of the Legion, "sources told EFE.

Distrust and dissension

The situation that exists internally in Legionaries and Regnum Christi centres has gone from public embarrassment when it became the Pope's decision to investigate the works of Maciel and the Legion after recognizing that the founder had a daughter, to that of distrust of lack of information, to the distress of many priests and consecrated the RC for the future since the retirements of priests and lay members.

A Legionary priest, who occupies an important position in the LC and is still inside pending the decision of the Holy See at the end apostolic visit, summarized the situation to Efe:

"In the LC and RC at the moment there are three types of attitudes: those who still think that everything is false and that this is further proof that Christ calls us; those who have left and have gone out; and us who live with a tremendous frustration because of the secrecy of our superiors and are waiting on what the Pope decides and whether we convene a General Chapter.

"Everything that has been said is true," says this priest, "and has been known to some LC superiors and to the Holy See for at least twenty years as acknowledged by the Vicar General, Luis Garza,pronounced at internal conferences this summer. "

"What I do not understand is precisely the attitude of Alvaro Corcuera, director general of the Legion, who is working and forcing the territorial directors to work and act as if nothing happened, and virtually denying the facts."

"He has not even apologized to the first victims of pedophile, because deep down those responsible for the Legion wants to continue denying this fact and disguise the contradictions and double life of the founder with the recognition of the existence of a daughter.

"It's an untenable situation because when your ask questions about something specific, either you do not get an answer or they say: 'Well you are the first person to bring this up."

For this Legionary, and for other LC members who have spoken to Efe and who have asked to work in other dioceses, including those of Madrid, the "distrust" is absolute in Legionnaires centers, "you can not trust or talk about these issues to anyone beside you, either because he tells you that he wants nothing to do with it or because minutes after they tell the superior. "

This same situation is also happening in the Regnum Christi houses and Consecrated centres, although the possibility of Internet access and more information enables them to follow more easily what is happening. In Legionary centres, internet access or e-mail is strictly controlled and certain critical pages and the reporting of this apostolic visit is censored.

The disappointment, questioning their faith in some cases and the inability of many to find support in their immediate environment, have led a group of lay of the RC to create a host network, in private homes, for those members and consecrated in the RC who need to "reflect without external pressures" on the future of remaining or not in the RC.

Transparency

Also, on reports of cases of sexual abuse in Legionary schools, a group of parents whose children continue their studies in legionary schools in Mexico an association "Transparency Legionaria" has been created with the aim of uniting parents and to demand transparency in those schools.

This group has submitted their request for "transparency" to Benedict XVI, the apostolic visitors, heads of schools, the superiors of the Legion of Christ and the Integer Group- the institution that controls all funding for the Legion, worldwide through various businesses, demanding "an official, public and expeditious response" to three question:.

Monthly report of revenue and expenditure in schools, to know what happens to the money they invest in the education of their children; a statement of principles of the school, whether your goal is to educate or to "have a breeding ground for future priests or members Regnum Christi" and the curriculum of those who educate their children and how and why they are hired.